22 Tips and Tricks for Easier Laundry

The piles just seem to grow and grow, no matter how much I think I’m getting caught up. Can you ever really get caught up on this never-ending chore?

I’ve decided the laundry room is actually at the root of my organization problems. Dirty clothes pile up, stained clothes wait for a miracle, and clean clothes have no where to go.

I need some serious laundry help. So, I turned to bloggers much tidier than me.

They’re full of tips and tricks for tackling the mountain of laundry and organizing the chaos. Here are 22 laundry hints I can’t wait to try:

Keep Socks Matched 1 of 22

Giving everyone in the family a mesh bag for their dirty socks is the perfect way to end missing socks — simply zip it up, wash it, and return it to it's owner about once a week. I absolutely love the idea of letting kids decorate their own bag with fabric markers!
Photo and tutorial via Better in Bulk

Presort Laundry 2 of 22

A 3-bag hamper is really the only way to go. I use to waste a lot of time sorting laundry. Now, I just sort clothes as I take them off! I can just dump a bag into the washer, and move on with my life.
Photo and more organizing ideas via Style at Home

Hang the Hamper 3 of 22

One of my big problems with laundry and our family of five is having enough space for the hampers. Hanging them over a door would be great, if you could find a way to keep them from closing on you. An embroidery hoop looks like the perfect solution!
Photo and more tips via Martha Stewart

Sort More Clothes 4 of 22

The laundry room seems to collect a lot of random clothes — clothes needing treatment, clothes needing ironed, clothes needing to be mended, clothes that don't fit anymore. Keeping a few baskets in the laundry room can keep it all sorted out.
Photo and tutorial via Imperfect Homemaking

Go White 5 of 22

Did you ever stop to wonder why every hotel you've ever visited uses white towels? They're easier to match when they need replaced and bleachable when necessary. In fact, it's why I often pair plain white shirts with cute shorts for my messiest kid. She's bound to stain them, but I can bleach white!
Photo Credit: Flickr user clearlyambiguous

Bleach Naturally 6 of 22

Naturally remove stains from whites with lemon juice and sunshine! I used to do this with cloth diapers — they come out clean and smelling fresh.
Photo and tutorial via Make It Do

Remove Underarm Stains 7 of 22

I'm not gonna lie, this one is a big problem for me. I cannot wait to try this trick — Dawn dishwashing liquid, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda create a scrub that gets stunning results.
Photo and tutorial via One Good Thing

Bleach Whites 8 of 22

Bleaching is so far my only stain removal method, but even that doesn't always work. Maybe because I've been doing it wrong all this time. This process uses a water soak, bleach, and dishwasher detergent.
Photo and tutorial via The Hildebrands

Brighten Whites 9 of 22

Brighten whites in the washer with this Miracle Laundry Solution. It features laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, bleach, and borax — all of which I have on hand. I can't wait to put it to the test!
Photo and recipe via One Good Thing

Remove Grease Stains 10 of 22

I can't even begin to tell you how many shirts I've ruined with grease stains. Mostly movie theater butter, to be honest. And to think I already had the solution by the chalkboard!
Tip via Apartment TherapyPhoto Credit: Flickr user stuartpilbrow

Post Laundry Secrets 11 of 22

With common stain removal tips right by the washer, those stain clothes won't have the chance to stack up while I search for a treatment.
Photo and printable via Tip Junkie

Wash Stuffed Animals 12 of 22

We have way too many stuffed animals around here, and every now and then they just desperately need a bath. This process uses a mesh bag and the washing machine. I typically tie mine into a pillowcase, run it through the washer, then hang it to dry.
Photo and tutorial via Mama's Laundry Talk

Clean Tennis Shoes 13 of 22

Every time I decide to wash a pair of the girls' shoes, I run into the drying problem. Banging around, knocking the door open or deciding to leave them out to dry — which almost never happens before we need them again. This tip is brilliant, and now I kinda wish I had some dirty shoes to wash.
Photo and tutorial via Another Part of Me

Don’t Shrink Your Clothes 14 of 22

Keep track of the hang dry only items you're washing with a dry erase marker. Just write a short description of each item so you can pull it out before you dry the load. This is especially helpful if you're sharing the load — no more worrying about the hubby ruining laundry.
Photo via Crafts Keep Me Sane

Remove Static Naturally 15 of 22

Dryer balls provide anti-static protection without harsh chemicals. Plus, they lift and separate clothes so they dry faster.
Read more at Inexpensively

Keep the Change 16 of 22

I have a small pile of change on the laundry room shelf. I forget about it, and it eventually gets sticky from stain remover or detergent spills. I am absolutely making myself a tip jar!
Photo and more laundry room ideas via Six Cents

Hang a Drying Bar 17 of 22

One of the best things I've ever done for the laundry was install a bar above the washer and dryer. This idea uses a bathroom towel rack, but we actually put a closet rod across the top of our laundry area. It gives me a place to hang dry clothes and somewhere to put them while I'm pulling clothes out of the dryer.
Photo and more laundry ideas via Martha Stewart

Iron Anywhere 18 of 22

I hate to iron. Hate. It. It's just such a chore to pull out the ironing board and chain yourself there until the job is done. With this DIY ironing board, you can pull it out quickly and iron where you want.
Photo and tutorial via Crafty Fox

Flat Iron Clothes 19 of 22

Now this kind of ironing is more my speed! Your flat iron really can quickly press minor wrinkles. I use it to straighten all those little ribbons and flowers on little girl clothes, too.
Photo and tutorial via Real Simple

Iron Pleats 20 of 22

Now that the teen is wearing a uniform to school, ironing pleats will become a part of daily life. Who knew a few bobby pins could make it so easy? The bobby pins hold your pleats together while you iron.
Photo and tutorial via Real Simple

Label Laundry Baskets 21 of 22

We have 5 laundry baskets here. In theory, that's one per person so I can sort as I fold, then have each girl put away their own things. But, they get left under a bed, in a closet, and I'm left short when laundry is done. Labeling each basket not only lets each girl know which one is hers to put away, but it will allow me to know which girl needs to track down the missing basket!
Photo and tutorial via I'm a Lazy Mom

Laundry Basket Dresser 22 of 22

And what to do with the laundry baskets when they're waiting for children to put away the clothes? This laundry basket dresser is a simple solution — pretty sure it's going on the project list!
Photo and tutorial via Ana White

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